Looked Up: Za Cosmetics

I checked out the new counter in Landmark for ZA and pleasantly surprised at the prices. The fact that this is a Japanese brand that is under the Shiseido group makes the the price a total steal. Some of the stuff I'd like to get are the following.

 BB cream is an essential and UV is sweet sweet icing.

A good mist sets make-up and refreshes. 

Though I have a perfectly good brow liner pot at home, it doesn't hurt to get a pen-type one to tote around for emergencies.
  

A good mascara with promises of volume and length cannot be beat. I'm pinning a lot of hope on this thing.

I'm definitely into liquid liner these days and happy with the pot at home, in spite of my very shaky hands. As with the brow liner, a pen type one doesn't hurt to add to the kikay kit I lug around all the time.

I'm in search of the perfect finishing powder to include in my kikay kit. The fact that it's a total beaut isn't a bad thing.

 My concealer is almost out. This one is a good candidate for a replacement.

 Foundation compacts sure are so much wider than they used to be but they sure are getting prettier.

Gloss is pretty and from my experience of the sister lines, this one has promise.

Sometimes, I wonder if I choose my lipstick because of the packaging. Surely it's no coincidence that they're all silver bullets.

Review: Audio Technica Dip Earphones

My last pair died once again because of the darned rats. I checked out the mall and saw these chocolate-colored ones on sale. There are other candy colors but I figured brown is a good choice in case I give it over to hubby.

This pair is definitely worth the money I paid for it. The sound balance is great as ever, I can hear a good rhythm even with the sounds played quite low. I also like that my ears don't hurt a whole lot even if I play songs too long. I really love Audio Technica quality.

The package includes the instruction manual, a winder and 3 other sizes of the rubber thingies. I really like the winder as I can wind the wires and pin it on top of my shirt. It really helps whenever I pull out the phones from my ears and it doesn't wind down on the floor.
 

I also like the extra rubber thing. It's good to have a winder range of choices for a comfortable fit.

No regrets over the purchase. A great buy.

Review: Stila Smudge Crayon Set

I passed by the Stila Counter in Rustan's one day looking for a dark and a light liner as they have one of the better liners around, according to a lot of reviews. I came across their Smudge Crayon Set, which promises to be an eye primer, shadow and liner in one product.

Trying to be a smart buyer, I swatched it on the back of my hand before anything else. I liked how it swatched with nary a tug and with great pigmentation. The colors were delightfully neutral and complements one another. I didn't erase the swatch and went on my way right after.

I checked it later that day and noticed very little fading in spite of my having washed my hands right after. The pigmentation stayed true for all of the colors. Considering the price, which wasn't overly inflated compared to US prices, this was a really great buy.

This is really good make-up for newbies or people like me who has gotten a little lazy and forgotten how to apply make-up. You line it over the eyes, smudge the edge if desired, and it sets for quite some time. Once set, though, it's a good idea not to overly fret and line some more, because then the product gets a bit too thick and I got some fallout after a while. Doesn't it just suck when dark shadow fall down to the undereye area?

I haven't been able to try it as a primer as I'm a bit too lazy for that. As shadow, the umber shade, the reddish brown one pops and the smoke shade, the shiny grey one is a great highlighter. Great stuff, this set. Another good thing is that it's retractable. They're minis of the full size product but I personally love the size as it's like lipstick that I can slide into my pocket if I need a quick line or shadow.

As mentioned, they've got a full-size available and the full size includes a sharpener but  I prefer the soft edges so I'm fine with this set for the colors I already have. It's a great starter kit and I've got no regrets over the purchase at all.

Review: Majolica Majorca Pressed Pore Cover

I'm on the fence regarding Majolica Majorca's Pressed Pore Cover. On one side, it's a very pretty compact to tote around. On another, I can't seem to make it work for me. Major confusion and a disaster.

As with most products I purchase, I got this on sale at about half-off. Or thereabouts. The SA was trying to convince me to get the skin remaker foundation instead of this one but I hung tough as I don't feel like using powder foundation nowadays, preferring BB creams, mousse and liquid foundation. I insisted on a translucent powder. This one fits the bill.

I've tried applying it using the included sponge but I've found it applies too thickly that way. I tried it with a brush but there's too many powder residue on the pan if I do that. It seems like I'm wasting too much of the product. Also, I'm trying to go for translucency but I seem to be getting even more coverage with this thing. It so confuses me.

So the best application for it is to use the sponge to pat it over my face and sweep a brush through the powdered areas to even out the application. I know I'm lazy but I'd rather go with either simply puff or brush and not have to do both, especially when it's the last step in my make-up process. I gotta hand it to the brand, though, if applied right, my skin looks smooth and perfectly made-up.

Sadly, my little one has taken a liking to pitching the compact around and the powder has crashed after the third time. I have to really admire the packaging as it took three different crashes before the product cracked. The compact did not suffer any hinge, lock or mirror injury in the said crashes. Also, putting back the pan into the compact made me appreciate how it's surrounded by a thick plastic lining that clicks into place.

I'm no longer able to tote this anymore and I have to think of where to put the cracked powder after. This gives me an opportunity, however, to try some other products to put into the perfectly serviceable compact. I could try the foundation from Majolica Majorca or even a Shiseido one. It's not truly a disaster. It's just an opportunity for change.

Review: Ellana Make-up Primer

When I got myself the Ellana Liquid Primer, I had high hopes for the product but wary on another side. It was all due to the silicone, the main ingredient. 

This will do to you what you want it to. It will make foundation, either liquid or powder easier to apply and stay on longer. You might even look as close to flawless as you can possibly want. You’ll only need one pump to use on the whole face.

However, silicones scare the crap out of my skin because they absolutely break me out and this thing did. Beware, if silicones have done you harm before, it will haunt you if you try this product. If it’s proven to be friendly to your skin, please try it. Also, the price can’t be beat and the small bottle will last a while.

Review: Semk Mumals

I like sleeping with this Mumal from Semk. It may look like a typical stuffed toy but it’s a perfectly serviceable speaker. I connect this to my iPod and hug it close at night and I can sleep with some tunes on without disturbing my sleepmate. No additional power needed for this. 

They’ve included an amplifier powered by double-A batteries but I’m happy enough with the cute golden alien bunny speakers so I haven’t had a chance to try it.

Love: Majolica Majorca Honey Plump Gloss Neo

I like the Honey Pump Gloss Neo from Majolica Majorca. It’s my go-to gloss these days when I feel my lips getting a tad too dry. It’s not so much a cosmetic thing for me. It’s more of a balm for the dryness, because it babies my dry lips and leaves it very moisturized. 

Part of the charm is the packaging that makes me want to swipe it on more as it’s quite easy to stuff into my pockets. It’s very pretty, like all Majolica Majorca products, while being a very convenient size. 

It’s got a very glossy feel on the lips when applied. It settles in and feels lightweight after a bit. I initially thought it was thick-feeling but when I press my lips together with it on, I noticed it didn’t feel sticky at all. It also has a sweet mild scent that somewhat reminds me that this is made from honey. No detectable taste on it. It doesn’t give me any discernible colour on my lips but it gives a very subtle wet shine. 

You could consider it a love affair. I may or may not repurchase once done with the tube but if there’s another sale, I’ll take the opportunity to stock up.